Queens of the Dead Lights Up Tribeca With Glam and Gore

The Tribeca Film Festival got an extra jolt of glitter and blood with the premiere of Queens of the Dead. This zombie horror comedy turns queer nightlife into ground zero for the apocalypse. Set and premiered in New York City, the film made its festival debut during Pride Month. This timing felt intentional, electric, and deeply fitting.

Directed by Tina Romero, the film blends camp, horror, drag culture, and community-driven storytelling into a loud, joyful survival story. It plays best with a crowd. The Tribeca screening marked the first time many cast members experienced the full film alongside an audience. This added to the sense that this was more than just a premiere.

Queens of the Dead: A Tribeca Premiere Built for the Big Screen

Throughout the festival, cast and creators spoke about how special it felt to debut Queens of the Dead at Tribeca Film Festival. This was especially true for a film so rooted in the city itself. From drag clubs to hospital corridors, the story pulls directly from New York’s nightlife energy.

Several cast members described the film as something that needs a live audience. They explained people should be laughing, reacting, gasping, and cheering together. That shared experience was front and center at Tribeca. There, the crowd embraced the film’s mix of humor, horror, and heart.

Glamour, Zombies, and Family

Queens of the Dead follows a group of queer characters navigating a zombie outbreak. This eruption happens during a night out in the city. Drag performers, club promoters, nurses, dancers, and partygoers are forced to work together. Meanwhile, Manhattan spirals into chaos.

What sets the film apart isn’t just its zombies, it’s its focus on community. Characters who begin isolated, guarded, or disconnected are pushed into collaboration, discovering strength through shared survival. The film leans into camp and spectacle, but never loses sight of the people at its center.

Romero has described the film as a “glamgore zomcom,” and it lives up to that label. Glitter mixes with blood. Humor sits beside danger, and horror becomes a backdrop for connection rather than despair.

Pride Month, Representation, and Joy

Premiering during Pride Month added another layer of meaning to the Tribeca event. Cast members spoke openly about how important it was to tell a story. This story centers on queer and trans characters that isn’t coded, muted, or tragic by default.

Instead, Queens of the Dead embraces silliness, excess, and joy, even in the middle of the apocalypse. It’s a film that argues survival isn’t just about making it through the night, but about doing it together.

A Festival Moment That Stuck for Queens of the Dead

As the credits rolled at Tribeca, it was clear Queens of the Dead had found its audience. Loud, colorful, and full of heart, the film fit right into the festival’s spirit while carving out its own lane.

For viewers looking for horror that’s funny, queer-forward, and made to be watched shoulder-to-shoulder with a crowd, Queens of the Dead is the perfect pick for you.

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